Daily Times

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif is all out for the welfare and prosperity of farmers in the province. She approved the launch of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Kissan Card to provide subsidised farm inputs to farmers in Punjab, while chairing a special meeting on agricultural reforms for the second consecutive day.

Madam Chief Minister said, “Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Kissan Card project in Punjab is the biggest in the history of Pakistan.” She added, “Under the project, agricultural loans worth Rs 150 billion will be provided to 5 lakh small farmers on easy terms. Farmers will be given an agricultural loan of Rs 30,000 per acre for the purchase of best quality seeds, fertilizers and pesticides.”

Madam Chief Minister said, “Various types of other subsidies will also be provided to the farmers through Nawaz Sharif Kissan Card.” She said, “Model Agriculture Centers (MAC) will be established across Punjab in collaboration with the private sector. These model agriculture centers will have modern agricultural machinery, training, pesticide seeds and demonstration plots.” She added, “In the first phase, one model agriculture center will be set up in each district. Farmers will get rid of fake fertilizers and medicines.”

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif directed the Agriculture Department to compile complete data of production and demand of each crop. She approved to set up state-of-the-art center of excellence for research and development on cotton, wheat and rice crops. She agreed to control administrative affairs of the Center of Excellence through a Board and link these Research Centres with the Regional Universities. Madam Chief Minister also directed to build a research and development center at the cost of Rs 2 billion in Agriculture University Faisalabad with the cooperation of China. This Pak China R&D Center will have genome center, germplasm resource, speed breeding and research facility on climate change.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif also directed to present amendments to the Agriculture Pesticides Act and the Fertilizers Control Act to prevent the sale of spurious agricultural drugs and fertilizers. She also reviewed the restructuring of Punjab Seed Corporation and Punjab Agricultural Research Board. A proposal to introduce a law to prevent the use of agricultural land for residential purposes was also considered in the meeting. She agreed to equip Agricultural Extension Wing with modern technology and recruit 500 agriculture graduates.

Earlier, Madam Chief Minister was briefed that 24,800 latest agricultural implements will be provided to the farmers at a cost of Rs 7 billion in two years.

Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Information Minister Azma Zahid Bukhari, Agriculture Minister Mohammad Ashiq Hussain, Former Senators Pervaiz Rashid, Saud Majeed, Chief Secretary, Secretaries Agriculture, Finance, President Bank of Punjab and other senior officers concerned attended the meeting.

Separately, Maryam Nawaz Sharif took notice of the alleged rape of a 9-year-old mentally-challenged girl in DHQ Hospital Layyah. She directed the authorities concerned to identify the accused involved after thorough investigation of the incident, and sought a report in this regard from IG Police.

The chief minister said, “All those involved in the heinous crime should be punished severely.”